Cannot make Finale 25.3 the default program for .musx

[[hg]lor47D]

I spoke too soon. I hearby formally apologize to MakeMusic. This matter is at the top of the current issues that have been reported and are being investigated by their developers. It is new with Finale 25.3 and others have encountered it.

Their work-around is exactly what we have said to do here: either start Finale 25 from the Desktop or by right clicking and selecting "Open with ..." then selecting Finale.

They believe their developers will solve this momentarily. Perhaps they will. I'll let you know when I know.

Harvey

[motet]

Of course, it never should have gotten by the QA department.

[zuill]

By compatibility, I mean with an earlier version of Windows. For example, in Windows 7 mode.

Zuill

[[hg]lor47D]

Ah, I see. Well, I'm not aware of any way to make Windows explicitly emulate an earlier version of itself.

Harvey

[zuill]

In Windows 7, I right click on the desktop shortcut and select Properties. In that window, I select the Compatibility Tab. That's where I select the compatibility option. Maybe Windows 10 doesn't have this option.

Zuill

[motet]

Harvey, you are not alone:

So, like many of you (I presume) I upgraded a few days ago with the April sale Finale offered. First thing I've noticed is when I'm moving a measure to a blank measure to copy it, the box border no longer goes green when I'm on the downbeat. I miss that.

But more, I noticed tonight that even though I created a new musx doc in Finale 25.3.whatever and saved it, when I double clicked it to reopen for an edit, it opened in Finale 2014.5.

Anyone else notice that? Am I saving it wrong? I couldn't find a pref.

[[hg]lor47D]

Zuill, I discovered that Windows 10 does, indeed, have a compatibility mode capability. It runs on a program by program basis. You can tag any program's executable in its Properties dialog's Compatibility tab (like you said) to run in any of several earlier Windows modes. I tried it with Finale 25.3 in Windows 7 mode as you suggested. Unfortunately, Windows 7 was a 32-bit operating system. Finale 25 is a 64-bit program. My version of Windows 10 is a 64-bit operating system.

When I tried to run Finale 25 in Windows 7 compatibility mode, it first took a very, very long time to boot (I thought it had hung the machine), then it came up saying that it was not a registered copy of Finale. Frankly, I'm surprised that it ran at all. You can't run 64-bit programs under 32-bit OSes. Anyway, it was a good thing to try. Besides, I learned about this compatibility mode thing which could be useful somewhere else.

Thanks.

Harvey

Motet, I know. Thanks for all your help.

Harvey

[motet]

There is in fact a 64-bit version of Windows 7. I'm not surprised that this didn't fix the problem, though.

[zuill]

I have 2 machines that are 64-bit and run Windows 7. So, running in Windows 7 mode is still running at 64-bit, if that is what your machine has. (Speaking to the OP, not Motet.)

The reason I suggested compatibility mode was I thought maybe it was a Windows 10 issue. I guess not. Does everybody using Windows 10 have the same issue? Maybe others will chime in here.

Zuill

[[hg]lor47D]

I didn't realize that Windows 7 was available in 64-bit. So, it ran, but with the same problems as in Win 10 mode.

I don't know if EVERYONE with Win10 has these issues, but I'd love to hear from others.

Harvey

[ebiggs1]

Harvey,
I am running Windoze 10 Anniversary and Finale 25.3 works as it should. I didn't do any special tricks when I installed it. It went as it always does with any program. I know that doesn't help you but it shows it will work properly,...somehow.

One question, did you upgrade directly to Finale 25.3 or did you go through Finale 25.1, 25.2 and then 25.3 ? I have no idea if that makes any difference but maybe. I am still running Finale 2014.5 because of the problem with the plug-ins with Finale 25.3. After you get it running you will find this problem, too, if you use plug-ins. It is a PITA to switch back and forth but it works.
EB

[Zoots]

I'm running W10 Pro, latest version. My Finale 2012 has been removed and I went from 25.1 to 25.2 to 25.3.
Double-clicking on a .musx file starts Finale 25.3 as expected.

[motet]

My theory is that Finale 2014 poisoned the well somehow, but that's just my theory.

[[hg]lor47D]

I had been waiting for Jari's plugins, then MM came up with their $79 sale and I finally went for it. This installation was of 25.3 directly; no upgrading from 25.0 to 25.1 to 25.2 to 25.3. Further, I kept 2014.5 because I didn't know - still don't - if everything is copacetic with 25.3 and I wanted something to fall back on.So, it might be the 25.3 installation with nothing preceding it and it might be the 2014.5 already installed or it might be something else altogether. It's interesting that some people don't have the problem. How come you with no problem didn't tell me how to do it properly? I'd have gone your route if I'd only known.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Harvey

[ebiggs1]

Harvey,
The only difference I see so far is we/I well through all the 25 upgrades. Whether that makes a difference or not I don't know. But I am not very smart!

One other thing? Did you put several JW plug-ins in 25? You can't do that!!!!!!!! At least me and a few others can't. If you did, remove them, all of them, and see if it will let you associate. It did wonky things to me. I now have only JW Change installed. Plus I deleted some Finale 25 plug-ins I never use. Seems like less is better. Try it, can't hurt.
EB

[[hg]lor47D]

Good suggestion, ebiggs1; I tried it: removed all jw... plug-ins, rebooted, and tried double clicking on a .musx file. No joy. Same result.

If having all the jw plug-ins in the Plugin Components folder is bad, why were we able to do it in Finale 2014.5? In fact, I didn't have ALL the jw plug-ins there, just some. Anyway, now there are none and the association still doesn't work.

Why are fewer plug-ins - not the jw ones - better? If I expect to use one, I want it to be ready to go, not to have to move it into place when I'm about to use it. If some plug-ins are causing trouble, then they're buggy. The responsible party should fix 'em. Having to work around mistakes is, well, ... less than optimal.

Harvey

[Vaughan]

Same problem on Mac, probably because of the OS's assumption that the highest number represents the latest version of the program. I never tried renaming 2014.5 to e.g. Finale 24 to see if that changed anything. I'm very happy with version 25 so I ended up getting rid of all the previous versions.

[ebiggs1]

... why were we able to do it in Finale 2014.5? .

Harvey

2014.5 was 32-bit and 25 is 64-bit. The only reason I know of.
EB

[ebiggs1]

I'm very happy with version 25 so I ended up getting rid of all the previous versions.

I am too. Finale 25 is working very well and if I don't have too many plug-ins installed it is the best Finale to date. Much faster!
MM is aware of the plug-in issue and is working on it. Several of us made an official report about the problem.
EB

[Vaughan]

I only have a limited number of plugins I use regularly. I'm just curious, what known problems are there with them?

[ebiggs1]

Mostly the ability to load other dll's. Whatever it can't load. May be sound or something else. There seems to be a limit on how much of this stuff Finale can handle. But it does work better with fewer plug-ins. Like I said I am not smart so I can't relay the exact issue.

[motet]

I suspect the plug-in issue is unrelated to Harvey's double-click-.musx issue.

[fritzm]

My theory is that Finale 2014 poisoned the well somehow, but that's just my theory.

Could be. I had Finale 2012 still installed from when I tried the demo version years ago and also PM 2014, but no Finale 2014. I have now installed 25.3 from the April special and I do not have this problem - fletype asociations are working fine.

[Patrick Rice]

I have the same issues with a 64 bit Win 7 and a Win 10 machine. I'm unable to set the default program, I get the registration popup when double clicking a musx file, and I can't drag-and-drop a file into Finale 25.3. On top of that, JWLua plugin doesn't work at all on Win 7. On Win 10 it works only if I open a musx file with File->Open; if I open a file any other way the plugin won't come up. A popup says one of the critical files isn't there (it is though). Sounds like Fin 25.3 has some serious file manager issues. At this point 25.3 is useless for me. I'll have to uninstall it so that I can double click a file and have it opened in Finale 2014.5.

[motet]

I think you have cause to ask for your money back. Perhaps if enough people do that they'll get a move on and fix these things. I am a software developer and there's nothing that can't be found and fixed in a few days if you put your mind to it.